Bubbles His Book. A STORY FOR CHILDREN By R. F. IRVINE. Illustrated hy D. H. SOUTER. The Story that Daddy told the night the Flying- Squirrel first appeared in the old Gum Tree. ^^TfïEN mid-noon was come, they came to a glittering White Palace, before which, on a great throne, sat the Frost King, with a spear-like sceptre in his hand, and a crown of ice crystals upon his head, and in the midst of the crown was set a great emerald. His beard reached below his waist, and it sparkled as if many jewels were hung therein. Out of his mouth came a cold breath, which turned the cloud wreaths into stone, and made Lulu shiver, so that she withdrew, and sat down before the fire of the Diamond. Again she slept, and when she opened her eyes she saw that the windows were glowing with a fiery red light, and the Fairy Maidens told her that they were now in the Street of Fire, which stretches West to the Island of Palms. And Lulu was glad, for she knew that they would soon be in the Island, and see ...

A series of questions for Classes 2, 3, 4, and 5 will be given in each month's CHILDREN'S NEWSPAPER. Answers to these questions may be supplied hy any children in thc respective classes, and marks will lie awarded each month for corred answers. At the end of each half yeal- (.lune and December) valuable prizes will he given to the live pupils who attain the highest number of marks in each class. For each correct answer to a question tin marks w ill be awarded. If only one correct answer is sent in each month, it may win a prize. Children who do not attend school should compete in Class 2 if under nine years old ; in Class 3 if nine, ten, or eleven years ; in Class 4 if twelve or thirteen, and in Class 5 if fourteen or over. All answers should reach me not later than the loth June, 1899. Ask your parents to certify on your answers that you are in the class in which you are competing. Do not forget to sign your name and write address on your answers. Anony mous answers cannot be credi...

Saying" Time. Our brethren in Can ada have just com menced an important work, viz., the construction of a canal connecting Lake Huon directly with the St. Lawrence. It is ex pected that the new waterway will be opened within three years. Car goes from Chicago and other lake towns will then be taken by barges to Montreal for transhipment to the great ocean liners. This will bring the great lakes four days nearer England than the shortest existing route. The Canadians look forward to the time when these waterways will be deepened, so that ocean steam ships can sail into Lake Superior.

Nemo me Impune Lacessit. Lord Kitchener of Khartoum is now British Governor-Gen eral of the Soudan. Recently he sent Ibraham Pasha as an envoy to the Sultan of Darfur, The envoy was accompanied by a guard of 150 soldiers. "When he reached Darfur he found that the Sultan had been dethroned. The usurping Sultan made war upon Ibraham, and 130 of his men were killed. The remaining 20 reached Omdurman. Lord Kitchener has a very difficult position to fill, but he is just the man to resolutely over come the most formidable obstacles.

A di olden Needle. A Greater Britain Exhibition is being held in London this month, in which Vic toria, Queensland, and Western Australia are well represented. In the Victorian Court there is to be a real gold trophy, which will take the form of Cleopatra's Needle, erected on a quartz base. Cleopatra's Needle is the name given to an Egyptian obelisk, made of rose-red granite of Syene, originally erected by the Egyptian king Thothmea III., in front of the great temple of Heliopolis, lt was presented to the British Government in 1820, and was erected on the Thames embank ment, London, in L877-8, al a cost of £10,000.

We would like to have an agent for THE CHILDREN'S NEWSPAPER in the vicinity of eveiy schoolin NewSouth Wales. Would our correspondents and subscribers when writing to us kindly give the name and address of the news agent most conven ient to the school which they attend ?

TÍ Victoria Regina. Queen Victoria has been staying on the Mediterranean coast of France. One day last month she performed the cere mony of opening a public bridge at Nice. It was named Victoria Bridge in, her honour-a delicate compli ment from citizens of a French city.

BUBBLES, HIS BOOK. 'TVHLS interesting work, which is now appearing as a serial in this news paper, will be published in book form in a few days, for an advance copy now lies on our office table. Certainly no better work for children has been pro duced in Australia, and the publishers may rest assured that the book will command an undoubted and speedy success. It is bound in cloth and blocked in three colours, and contains fifty illustra trations in the text and fifteen full-page coloured illustrations, besides a coloured title page and specially designed end papers. Mr. Irvine has never written a better story, and Mr. Souter has never produced better drawings than those that go to make the book. It is particularly adapted for presentation, and the pub lishers will, when so desired, insert a dedicatory label of artistic design. The book is published solely by William Brooks and Co., of 17 Castlereagh-street, and is sold at 3s 6d, post free 3s lld.

Oliver Cromwell, the Great Protector, was born" at ¡ Huntingdon, England, on 25th April, 1599.f (His ter-centenary was celebrated throughout England this year, and a statue was inaugurated in his native town.

AX OFFER. 7K have to thank a very large number of subscribers for in ducing their friends to add their names to our list. Some of our subscribers have suggested that we should offer soin.e inducement to those who are willing to still further increase our list. We liave much pleasure, therefore, in announcing that we will send the paper free for 12 months to every hoy or gill who sends to us before 1st August next the names and annual subscriptions of at least 12 new sub scribers. Further than this, to the hov or girl who sends the LARGEST number of annual subscriptions before that date we will he pleased to pre sent a silvi r medal duly engraved. Those who would prefer to have one of our New Stan dard Geographies instead of the free subscription for 12 months may substi tute'^ either the Third or Fourth Class Geography (post free) for the newspaper sub scription.

Destruction of Wild Flowers. The Hon. Mr. Car ruthers has once more raised his voice against the destruction of our native flora. All wild 11 o wer lovers grieve over the ruthless pulling up by the roots that goes on year after year, making it increas ingly difficult to catch a glimpse of our graceful flannel flower, handsome waratah, Xmas bush, Xmas bell, bright boronias, etc., without going many many miles away from the busy haunts of men. The Minister gave a practical point to his remarks and an earnest of his wish to en courage the cultivation of indigenous plants and flowers, by promising to give a trophy for three years for the native rose, flannel flower, desert pea, or waratah.

Perils of the Dee]). During a heavy fog on the morning-of 16th May, the Tasmanian steamer T e k a p o, whilst on the voyage from Sydney to Port Kembla to load coal, ran on the rocks at Maroubra Bay, close to the ruins of the ill-fated Hereward, and became a total wreck. A few hours later, and during the same fog, the steamer Age struck upon the rocks near Newcastle, but for tunately she was soon afterwards towed off, and though somewhat damaged, safely reached her port.